


A City Barely Coping

by Snow



Category: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Community: au_bingo, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-19
Updated: 2011-01-19
Packaged: 2017-10-14 21:23:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Penny is a detective, but Captain Hammer is Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible is Dr. Horrible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A City Barely Coping

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the lovely HopefulNebula for the glance-over.
> 
> Written for the square of Other: Detectives for AU_bingo.

It's kind of ridiculous the number of times I've been told that my job is both unnecessary and unpatriotic. I wouldn't dare to say things are as bad for me as they are for the uniformed officers - the way people used to argue speeding tickets is nothing on the way they argue them now - but nor is being a plainclothes detective particularly easy. There's still a time when the badge comes out and their anger always follows.

"If it weren't for people like you with your damn bureaucracy Captain Hammer could be so much more effective."

I learned my first _week_ that pointing out that if they let me take Captain Hammer into an interrogation room I'd be all over him - and not in a sexy way - tended not to fly. Instead I smile politely. "Could you please step aside, sir?" I repeat. "Or if you aren't going to I can have you arrested for interfering with the pursuit of justice. I have a feeling that would be a waste of both our time."

"You're a very nice young lady..."

I grit my teeth. "I'm authorized to use force and I'm sure you'd rather not make me a violent 'young lady'. Now please let me into the crime scene."

The man moves aside. I don't smile at him as I prepare to brandish my badge at actual witnesses.

Captain Hammer's gone, of course. I'm not getting him into an interrogation room today, clearly. There is, however, a figure in a white lab coat kneeling over something that looks suspiciously like a gun, but that I know from his rap sheet can't be.

"Doctor Horrible," I say, carefully, making sure I'm blocking the door. My partner is still in the car, leaving me without backup until someone else shows up. Again.

He glances up at me. "In a moment."

I remove the handcuffs from my belt with the sharp sound of metal striking metal.

"Oh, well, if you're going to insist, I guess now is good too." His eyes stay fixed on me then, for a long moment, until he starts blinking rapidly "Penny?"

I hate it when anyone thinks they're somehow entitled to use my first name, but it's even worse when people I'm planning to arrest do it. "It's Detective Parsons. Step away from the device, Doctor Horrible."

His eyes stay searching me for a long time longer, as he neither complies nor resists. I start in shock as I realize that I know him, from the laundromat. Better not to let him know that I've made the connection, in case he gets away.

"It's, uh, all yours, Detective Parsons," he mumbles as he takes a step away from the device, before continuing, suddenly much more confident. "But it's not the problem. _I'm_ not the problem. The problem is that you're supporting Captain Hammer, and with him a whole system of superheroes taking what they want while leaving the rest of humanity to stumble their way along. They can do anything they want, as long as they don't touch into superhero territory. That's some pinnacle of life, isn't it?"

I frown at him, already moving to snick the handcuffs around his wrists. I might not like Hammer, but that's just because I don't think he should be immune to the usual laws. I hardly think he's bringing about the downfall of civilization.

"I'm the one that's doing what's right," Doctor Horrible continues, apparently unconcerned to be bound by law. "He's just a parasite on who we all wanted to be once. I shouldn't be punished for the fact that he thinks he's perfect when he's not."

"Tell that to the judge," my errant partner announces as he arrives, moving in to examine the device Doctor Horrible had left. He jumps back, shrieking almost immediately, when it covers it in some kind of goo. This is the kind of backup I have, these days.

I kind of have to agree that it's not Doctor Horrible who's the problem with this city.

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome and appreciate comments, including constructive criticism.


End file.
